Yanni

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT YANNI - PAGE 3

The love song of Polly Jean Harvey is sexy, strange, deranged, desperate, and perhaps more universal than we care to admit to ourselves. It is blood-red lips and a blood-red top with spaghetti straps. It is the way Harvey greets the big, black monsoon that barges into her bedroom on "Meet Ze Monster"--with a pair of rattling castanets that part the song like the Red Sea. It is the way the stomping heels of her pink boots contradict the anguish in her voice as she wails, "Lord, he hooked me--fish, hook and line."

Occupation: Composer/performer. Birthday: Nov. 14, 1954. Birthplace: Kalamata, Greece. Current homes: Los Angeles, Seattle and Kalamata. Marital Status: Single, but I live with Linda Evans off and on. Car: A 10-year-old BMW, but I don't drive very much. Working on: I'm in the middle of a 30-city tour-I'll be at Poplar Creek Music Theatre on Wednesday (JULY 7)-I've got a new album, "In My Time," and in September I'll fulfill a dream by doing a concert at the Acropolis.

I was extremely amused by Yawni's belief that anger equates to powerlessness. We should be grateful that Picasso never came to this realization, otherwise, he never would have created "Guernica." Had our founding fathers adopted this deep insight, we would still be a British colony.

Those who have never seen Yanni live like to poke fun at the gifted musician. Maybe it's the bombastic New Age music or the flamboyant live performances, but Yanni and his former collaborator John Tesh never fail to ignite the ire of pop culture comedians. But, the self-taught pianist and composer must be doing something right because thousands upon thousands flock to see the maestro perform live, and even more enjoy his musical stylings from the comforts of home when PBS regularly airs his concerts.

It could have been another case of bad timing for Illinois' women's team, if not for Aminata Yanni. Yanni scored a career-high 30 points and Angelina Williams added 22 to lead the Illini past No. 10 Minnesota 94-80 Sunday. Illinois lost 77-62 at Minnesota Jan. 9, three days after Penn State defeated the Gophers 83-53 for Minnesota's first loss of the season. The visiting Gophers (15-3, 4-3 in the Big Ten) were coming off their second loss of the season and were hoping to bounce back once again against Illinois.

Yanni won't be charged with domestic battery in an alleged dispute with his girlfriend, Florida authorities said Friday. "Essentially, it came down to a `he said, she said,"' Mike Edmondson, a spokesman for the state attorney in Palm Beach County, said. "The alleged event took place behind closed doors without any independent witnesses or evidence to support the charge." The Greek-born pianist, whose real name is John Yanni Christopher, was arrested March 3 at his beachfront home in Manalapan, Fla. His girlfriend, Silvia Barthes, 33, told police Yanni, 51, grabbed her and shook her, then threw her on a bed and jumped on her, according to a police report.

Born in Kalamata, Greece, Yanni moved to the United States to attend the University of Minnesota when he was 18. Though he earned a degree in psychology, the self-taught musician decided to pursue music as his career. "I didn't know any better back then," he said with a laugh. "I'm not sure it was the best thing to do, but it was what I needed to do. I have always just loved music." Yanni's new PBS special, "Yanni Voices: Live from the Forum in Acapulco," has been airing this month; his new CD, "Yanni Voices," will be released Tuesday; and a tour kicks off April 10. An avid traveler who enjoys exploring other cultures, the 54-year-old musician fondly remembers trips to Japan, Thailand and Europe.

The similarities are uncanny. Yanni and Andre Rieu are classical-ish, mega-platinum recording artists. Both are beloved and reviled for their extravagant, Celine-Dion-in-Vegas-style shows, their countless PBS pledge drive specials and their expertly tousled hair. Both men have launched tours that will bring them to town in the next few weeks. Are they the same person? Possibly! Consider the following: Vital stats Yanni: 54 years old. Greek. New Age superstar.

Returning Sandburg football players Yanni Demogerontas and Michael Howard share the same goal - to win a state championship. Head coach Dave Wierzal said that Demogerontas is being recruited by Division I schools, while Howard is a leader who had a great offseason. Names: Yanni Demogerontas and Michael Howard Age/year in school (incoming): Seniors Hometown: Orland Park Sport: Football Position: Left tackle (Demogerontas); nose tackle (Howard) How long have you played football?

The Yanni moment his fans cherish above all others arrives about midway through the second act of his 2 1/2-hour performance at Radio City Music Hall. It's not the post-concert question and answer session where they get to shout, "Where's Linda?" in reference to his then-girlfriend, actress Linda Evans. Nor is it the moment when Yanni faces the audience, arms spread, fingers on both hands picking at the keyboards that flank him, and raises his face beatifically to the light. And it isn't the moment when the man in white bites his lower lip and then, just as the music swells with a grandeur befitting "Rocky," tosses his black tresses and causes them to fall around his shoulders, where they immediately realign themselves in a perfect simulation of a 1970s shampoo commercial.